Outboard motor clamp lock



y 1954 J. u. HANAFORD, JR., ETAL 2,677,264

OUTBOARD MOTOR CLAMP LOCK Filed July 20 1951 F/G. Z.

INVENTORS JOHN u. hw/mFaea, J2. WILLIAM C. fimmpaea, 2,

Patented May 4, 1954 OUTBOARD MOTQR CLAMP LOCK John U. Hanaford, Jr., and William C. Hanaford, Sn, N ewburgh, N. Y.

Application July 20, 1951, Serial No. 237,762

1 Claim.

This invention relates to clamp locks for outboard motors, and more particularly to an outboard motor clamp lock which engages the clamp screw handles and holds the clamp screws against rotation to loosen the clamp.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved outboard motor clamp lock of simplified construction which is effective to securely lock an outboard motor to a stand or boat transom against unauthorized removal;

which has no part permanently attached to the motor or the stand or transom and can be con pletely removed from the motor when not in use; which applies to outboard motors of various sizes and difierent manufacture without change in the shape or size of the lock elements; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claim in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an outboard motor shown mounted on a boat transom illustrated in cross section, with a clamp lock illustrative of the invention applied to the motor;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the motor clamp and clamp lock; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

With continued reference to the drawing, the outboard motor, generally indicated at H], includes an engine H and a stem I2 normally extending downwardly from the engine and carrying a propeller, not illustrated, at its lower end. A clamp bracket [3 is pivotally connected to the stem i2 adjacent the engine I! for movements of adjustment about an axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the stem. This bracket includes a pad it having a fiat face I5 adapted to bear against the outer or rear side of a boat transom I6 and has a pair of spaced apart lugs ll and I8 spaced from and opposed to the face I 5 of the pad-l4, the bracket including arms l9 and which connect the pad and lugs together and are apertured to receive the motor attachment bolt 2i. Each lug is provided with a tapped hole, the center line of which is substantially perpendicular to the face of the pad [4 and clamp screws 22 and 23 are threaded through the tapped holes in the lugs l7 and I8 respectively and each has one end opposed to the face [5 of the pad.

2 Washers 2t and 25 are mounted on the inner ends of the screws 22 and 23 respectively, opposed to the pad 14 to bear against the front or inner side of the transom l6 and handles 26 and 2i are connected to the outer ends of the screws 22 and 23 respectively.

Each of the screws is provided near its outer end with a transverse aperture extending substantially diametrically of the cross sectional area of the screw and each handle is provided at one end with a bifurcated formation providing spaced apart legs, as indicated at 28 and 29 for the handle 26, and 39 and 3! for the handle 21. The two legs of each handle are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diametrical dimension of the screws 22 and 23 and the legs of the handle 26 are disposed at respectively opposite sides of the screw 22 near the outer end of this screw, while the legs 30 and 3| of the handle 21 are disposed at respectively opposite sides of the screw 23 near the outer end thereof. The handle legs are apertured near their distal ends and a pivot pin 32 extends through the legs of the handle 25 and through the transverse aperture in the screw 22 to pivotally connect the handle 26 at one end to the clamp screw 22 near the outer end of the clamp screw. A similar pivot pin 33 extends through the legs 30 and 3! of the handle 21 and through the transverse aperture in the screw 23 to pivotally connect the handle 2! at one end to the clamp screw 23 near the outer end of this clamp screw. Near their other or free ends the handles are provided with transverse apertures 34 and 35 respectively.

As the outboard motor construction is well known to the art, and constitutes no part of the present invention, except in the combination thereof with the novel locking means hereinafter described, a more detailed illustration and description of the outboard motor is considered unnecessary for the purposes of the present disclosure.

The locking means of the present invention includes a pin 36 of elongated cylindrical shape having a diametrical dimension slightly less than the diametrical dimensions of the apertures 34 and 35 in the handles, and a length slightly greater than the distance between the outer sides of the handles 26 and 21 when the handles are disposed substantially parallel to each other, as illustrated in Figure 2. This pin is inserted through the apertures in the handles 26 and 21 and has on one end a rounded head 3'! of sufficient size that it will not pass through either of the handle apertures. Near its other end the pin is provided with a transverse aperture 38 extending substantially diametrically of the cross sectional area of the pin and spaced from the outer side of the adjacent handle. A small padlock 39 has its staple 40 inserted through the aperture 38 in the pin and when this padlock is locked, the pin cannot be withdrawn from the handles, the handles then being securely locked together to prevent rotation of the clamp screws 22 and 23 to loosen the clamp.

This lock will not only secure the outboard motor on a boat transom or a carrying or display stand against unauthorized removal, but will also preclude accidental loosening of the clamp while the motor is mounted on a boat transom, thus avoiding accidental loss of the motor, and thelocking pin, when in place in the clamp screw handles, may be used as a carrying handle for lifting the motor and carrying it by hand.

lhe pin 36 is preterably formed of a. strong, and hard metal, so that it cannot beeasily broken or cut and, particularly where the motor is to be used on salt water, it is preferably formedof' a corrosion resisting material or provided with a corrosion resisting coating or plating. A chromium platingv is: highly desirable in that it not only resists. corrosion, but greatly enhances the appearance of the locking pin.

The invention maybe. embodied in other specLic forms without. departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to, be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

Locking means for the spaced apart clamp screws of an outboard motor clamp bracket comprising-handles adapted tube pivotally connected each at one end to the outer end of an associated clamp screw for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the rotational axis of the associated clamp screw and each having a transversely extending aperture adjacent its other end, a pin extending through the apertures in both of said handles and having a head on one end thereof and a transverse aperture adjacent its other end, and a. padlock having its staple extending through the transverse aperture in said pin, said head and saidpadlock being disposed at, the outer sides of said handles.

References Cited in the file of this patent- UNITED STATES; PATENTS Number Name Date 1,741,205 Smith Dec. 31, 1929 2,479,300 Binz Aug. 16', 1949 2,558,900 Buschhorn June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 481,202 Germany Aug. 15, 1929 

